Electric connector



' (No Model.)

w. H. GARLAND. ELECTRIC GONNEOTOR.

No. 470,820. Patented Mar. 15, 1892.

I INVENTEIR I Wrrmzsszs Nrrno TATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM H. GARLAND, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMSON-HOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC CONN ECTO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 470,820, dated March 15, 1892. Application filed November 23, 1891- Serial No. 412,707. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. GARLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chelsea, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Connectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electric connectors for railway-rails, and is adapted for use in any case where the rails are utilized as part of an electric circuitas, for example, in connecting the ends of electricrailway rails--so as to form a permanent and reliable return connection for the operatingcurrent.

My improved connector comprises a bond or strip, preferably a short section of wire, and two terminal sleeves adapted to slip over the ends of such strip and to be inserted in punched or bored holes in the ends of the rails, so that when the sleeves with their contained wire ends are forcibly driven into the holes provided therefor in the rails they will jam and bind against the ends of the wire and make a tight and practically-permanent connection.

The present invention consists in making the perforation or hole through the sleeve which receives the wire eccentric to the axis of the pin,so as to leave a comparatively thin and yielding wall at one side of the sleeve, while not detracting from the strength and solidity of the sleeve as a whole. time the wall, not being out through, moisture and dirt are effectually excluded from the joint between the wire and sleeve and a perinanent connection thus insured.

In 'the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows myconnectoras it appears when the Wire has been passed through the rail and into the sleeve, but before the latter has been driven into the hole prepared therefor in the rail, the said rail being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the plug driven into the rail, completing the connection. Fig. 3 is an end view of the plug or sleeve. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the same with the wire contained therein. Fig. 5 is a section of a portion of the rail, showing the plug and Wire embedded therein.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal At the same section of the sleeve, and Fig. '7 is. a side elevation thereof.

The usual connecting strip or wire I) is employed by me to form an electric connection metal, having a bore or longitudinal perforation eccentric to its axis, so as to leavea thin and yielding wall 0 on one side thereof. This wall is, however, continuous, as shown. The

diameter of the sleeve and of its bore are such as to enable it to tightly fill the space between the wire and the rail, as hereinafter described.

In applying my connector to a railway-rail, the latter having been properly perforated, an end of the strip or connecting-wire is passed. through the perforation in the rail, the tube or sleeve 0 is slipped over the end of said strip, and the sleeve or plug, with its contained wire end, is then driven into the perforation in the rail, the thin or yielding wall of the,

plug being compressed against the wire, making a tight and effective joint. The end of the sleeve or plug which enters the rail first is preferably tapered, as shown at 0 so as to facilitate its entrance.

It is obvious that the form of the hole in I the sleeve may be varied and that the sleeve itself need not be of the precise form shown for example, its exterior is not necessarily cylindrical, but may have any usual or desired form. The taper may be extended substantially the whole length of the plug, and other minor variations be made Without deviating from myinvention. It is also apparent that this connector may be used to make a joint between conductors of various kinds and in various locations, especially when one of the conductors to be connected is larger than the other.

The main feature of my invention is the location of the channel which receives the smaller conductor out of line with the axis of the connecting-piece, so that one side of the piece furnishes a solid driving-plug, while the other side is more yielding and readily compressible against the smaller conductor.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An electric connecting-plug consisting of a sleeve or tube with its bore eccentric to its axis, leaving a thin and comparatively yielding wall on one side of the tube.

2. The co1nbination,with the conductor having a perforation or opening and the connecting-wire smaller than said opening, of the sleeve or plug driven into said opening, having a longitudinal bore eccentric to its axis and receiving said wire.

3. The combination, with a perforated conductor, of the sleeve driven into said perforation and having a longitudinal bore eccentric toits axis, leaving a thin and yielding wall in one side of the sleeve and a connecting-com dnctor contained in said longitudinal bore.

4. The combination, with the perforated conductor and a smaller conductor, of a sleeve driven into the perforation, having a longitudinal bore receiving the smaller conductor and having aportion of its wall thinner than the rest, so as to yield and be compressed against said conductor. 

